Family: It's Complicated Excerpts
by Mira Silvia
Summary: Used to be "Of Oolong Tea, Schubert's Ave Maria, and Awkward Silences", I changed my mind. This is now going to be where one and two-shot drabbles related to "Family: It's Complicated" are going to end up. Rating may go up once Dante's involved(his invective lexicon is quite impressive...and at least a "T" rating)Also, has some spoilers for the main continuity of "It's Complicated"
1. Of Oolong Tea and Schubert's Ave Maria

AN: Just a short little something from a (rather)AU take on DMC, which involves Vergil and Dante not being separated after Eva's death...but Verge still ends up in Hell for a good long while...Not sure if I'll continue it or scrap it. (oh, and no, in _this_ story Nero is _not_ Vergil's son)

It was a few weeks after "the move" and Val couldn't seem to sleep _'something genetic? Are Devils nocturnal?' _she wondered, wandering the halls toward the library_ ...'yeesh, we actually have a library now...no more wishful thinking...'_ Her thoughts were interrupted by a peculiar sound.

The piano...in the library...Her mother didn't play...Alec had no taste for the classics(usually)...Nero didn't, to her knowledge...Uncle Dante...now _that_ was laughable...which left...

Vergil.

Her father(still strange to think that), was sitting at the piano, playing a melancholy tune. It seemed oddly familiar, and she tried to place it...at length...

"Ave Maria?"

Vergil didn't stop playing, but nodded, "Schubert, yes...an old favourite."

Val edged into the room, shutting the door silently, "Sorry..."

He shook his head, his back still turned to her, "You have nothing to apologize for...My skill has become somewhat _rusty_ over the past decade and a half—it's likely what awoke you."

Val almost didn't catch the humor in his voice, _good grief, he made a joke? Finally, proof that he and Uncle Dante __**are **__related..._ "Hardly, you play beautifully. I just couldn't take tossing and turning for five more hours."

"Insomnia?" He finally turned toward her as he finished the piece.

Once again, she caught the haunted, hollow look in his eyes before he could hide it, and again, didn't mention it. "Of the worst variety."

"I've always found that tea is an excellent remedy...or at least something to make the time pass faster," He said, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Val smirked slightly, "Oolong?"

"If my idiot brother bothered to keep the pantry stocked," there was nearly a chuckle this time.

Val smiled, "I checked yesterday—there's even English breakfast in there for morning."

They had soon lapsed back into silence, waiting for the water to come to a boil. Each left to their own thoughts, neither train of thinking took a terribly pleasant turn: on the one hand, guilt, self-loathing, worry...and on the other, angst, nervousness, and some more worry.

Vergil broke down first, "How is school?"

Val simply raised an eyebrow at that, "Really?"

"One generally approaches large, touchy subjects carefully—unlike my twin, I do have tact," came the somewhat snappish reply.

Val snorted in a rather unladylike manner, "Fair enough...

I'm bored to tears in most of my classes, save the APs. In my spare time, I study various languages, as well as whatever history interests me. My career goals are tending toward history/linguistics at the moment...oh, and I have a special affinity for Slavic languages."

Vergil couldn't help but pause for a moment, the above having been said all in one breath. "Have you considered Oxford? I can put in a good word."

Val raised a skeptical eyebrow, "You went to Oxford?"

"Yes, and I'm fairly well respected within my field—otherwise my opinion wouldn't really matter, now would it?" He moved to pour the now boiling water into the waiting cups before the whistling awoke the rest of the house.

"Your field being?" Val inquired.

"...History and Linguistics..."


	2. Double Act

Vergil sensed the portal before it opened, and was about to yell at Dante to move, but saw that his twin was thoroughly engrossed in battle.

Rebellion flashed through the air, followed by various taunts and vulgarities, such as "You are some _ugly_ sons of bitches—oh, wait, I just insulted all of dog kind!" and "For a trap, this is pretty lame...I mean, really? A buncha Prides?"

Hacking his way toward his twin, Vergil yelled, "Dante! MOVE!"

Dante froze. He goddamn _froze!_ Of all the idiotic...why couldn't he _listen_? ONCE?

Vergil ran and teleported to his twin's side, knocking Dante across the room, bellowing, "I said _MOVE!_" Just as the portal broke through and multiple, questing, tangled strands of sickly energy shot through, grabbed him, and pulled him into Hell.

As he struggled against what bound him, Vergil's only thoughts were of endurance, and perhaps escape...and those he left behind. Dante, Myra,...even Lady. All he must do is survive. Dante could protect them...he'd left a note..a journal...just in case.

Survive.

Then the pain started.

As the portal closed, Dante raged through the remaining demons. Eyes glowing with a seeming hellfire, he Triggered, ignoring Rebellion, Ebony, and Ivory, in favour of claws. If he could kill them all, if he could kill them fast enough, he could get Verge back. He could find his twin, he could rescue him, let Verge berate him for being stupid—like what always happened. Then he'd laugh it off later, while Verge still scowled at him. He always the comic, and Verge was the straight man-they were a double act.  
That's how their life worked.

Then he realized that there was nothing left to kill. The abandoned warehouse stood silent, his heavy breathing the only sound filling the room. He walked numbly over to where his brother's most prized possession—Yamato—lay. As he sank to his knees, he detriggered and clutched the katana to his chest, as though it might assuage the stabbing pain in his chest.

"Verge..."

Even a Devil May Cry.

**AN: Just a drabble that will make sense if you read the main story. I was just kind of feeling down and ended up writing this. Originally, I had intended for this to be told in flashbacks within the main continuity(and it might still be). **

**Poor Vergil. :(**


	3. Of Cleaning and Cursing, Part the First

**AN: Just a funny idea that came to mind(and something to balance the mood of the last one-shot). I'd say that the boys are maybe eighteen or so in this.**

Vergil glanced at the clock. Noon. He scowled. That is _quite_ late enough in the day for any sane being(even if they had been awake late last night dealing with a pest problem, it wasn't as though either needed a normal amount of sleep). Dante knew very well that today was 'cleaning day'(or, variously: 'Vergil yells at Dante day', 'Dante curses boorishly day', 'Vergil gets a headache day', 'This house will damn well be cleaned day'). Yes...noon was _quite_ late enough.

With that thought, he set his tea down, closed his book and calmly made his way to the kitchen. There, he hummed slightly as he rolled up his sleeves and filled a bucket with cold water and some ice.

Dante, still asleep, snoring, and sprawled unceremoniously across his bed, was quite unaware of his brother's planned method for waking him up. In fact, he was rather happily in dreamland(which was currently populated by scantily clad women, evidently). Smiling into his pillow, he was blissfully unaware of Vergil gliding into the room with the bucket and it's chilled contents.

That was, until-

SPLASH!

"FUCK!" Dante roared as he leapt out of his (now drenched) bed. Looking around wildly, his eyes settled on Vergil and he glared, growling, "Bastard..."

Vergil smirked, "Now, now, none of that..." He threw a towel at Dante, "It's cleaning day—and you can start-" he pointed at the bed- "With that."

Muttering vulgarities under his breath, and swearing revenge, Dante started getting dressed.


End file.
